Will the LPC Allow a 14-Story Hotel to Replace a Historic Building in Brooklyn Heights?
A developer is planning a 14-story hotel at 186 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, known as the Franklin Building, but needs approval from the LPC.
The building in September 2018. Photo by Susan De Vries
Is a new hotel coming to Brooklyn Heights?
Developer Upventures LLC pre-filed an application for a new building permit for a 14-story hotel at 186 Remsen Street, as New York YIMBY was the first to report. The six-story Romanesque Revival building that’s currently there was built in 1886-87 and is the oldest building in the Borough Hall Skyscraper historic district, which was established in 2011.
Paul C. Gogan of HK Architecture is the architect of record. The application describes plans for 37 hotel rooms, with no more than six per floor. An eating and drinking establishment will be located on the second, 8th, 9th and 10th floors, with a terrace on the latter.
No demolition permits have been filed, and it’s hard to see the plans coming to fruition: Even in the current environment, it’s unlikely the LPC would allow the demolition of this landmarked building to make way for a 14-story hotel.
What this could be is some kind of gambit on the part of the developers to convince the LPC to authorize demolition of all but the facade, which would allow them to still build a hotel.
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